Upon ascending the throne he did nothing remarkable. One day he said to Gao Qiu, “I want to make you an official. But I cannot promote you unless you have shown your merit. Now I will first tell the Grand Council to record your name as an imperial attendant.” Within six months Gao Qiu was raised to Marshal of the Imperial Guard.
Before proceeding to his new post he selected a fortunate hour and a lucky day to begin his duties. All the lower officers of various military ranks—both cavalry and infantry—visited him to pay their respects—present their credentials with details of their records. Gao Qiu, the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, examined these reports one by one and noticed one was missing, that is of Wang Jin, the Drill Instructor of the Imperial Guard. About two weeks before Wang Jin had been sick and had not been able to attend business at his yamen.46 Gao Qiu was very angry at this and shouted, “What nonsense! His credentials are here but he himself has not come. This is disobedience, yet he pretends to be sick at home. Men, have him brought here at once.” He forthwith sent men to arrest Wang Jin.
Now this Wang Jin had no wife and lived with his mother who was over sixty years of age. The sergeant spoke to Wang Jin, “Marshal Gao Qiu of the Imperial Guard has assumed his post but has not yet seen you. The Adjutant reported that you were sick at home but Marshal Gao Qiu did not believe this and has sent me to arrest you—you had better go and see him. If you do not go, I shall be implicated.” Wang Jin hearing this saw no alternative but to go, in spite of his sickness.
Upon entering the door of the headquarters he saw the Marshal at the other end of the hall and kowtowed four times, then bowing he called “nuo” (a sound to attract attention almost equivalent to saying “waiting your order”), then lifting his head he stood at one side.
Marshal Gao Qiu asked, “Are you not the son of Wang Sheng who used to be a Drill Instructor of the whole army?” Wang Jin admitted this.
Marshal Gao Qiu then shouted at him, “So it is you—your father used to sell medicine and exercise the fencing stick to attract a crowd on the street. What military skill have you? But don’t be supercilious because I can court-martial you—you must not dare to presume on your rank and differ from my point of view. On whose influence are you depending? What excuse have you for resting at home?” Wang Jin answered, “I speak the truth. I am certainly sick and have not yet recovered.” Marshal Gao Qiu used abusive language and said, “You banished thief! If you were sick how could you come here?” Then Wang Jin said, “You summoned me here so I had to come.” Marshal Gao Qiu was very angry and shouted an order to the attendants to seize Wang Jin and beat him severely. Among the junior officers there were many who were friendly with Wang Jin, they therefore joined to plead to Marshal Gao Qiu, “Today is your inauguration day it is a lucky day, please forgive this man, this time.”
Marshal Gao Qiu spoke in a loud voice, “You banished thief! These junior officers want me to forgive you. I will speak to you again tomorrow.” Wang Jin confessed his guilt. Holding up his head he recognized that he was Gao Qiu. He left the headquarters and heaving a sigh said, “Just now my life is insecure; this Gao Qiu was previously at the capital known as Gao the Second—head of a gang of lazy men. At that time he was learning to use the cudgels, and my father hit him, and for three or four months he could not get up from a sick bed. Now he has fortunately become Marshal of the Imperial Guard, and is eager for revenge. I did not know that he was my superior officer. From ancient times it has been said: “Fear not the authorities, except those that have authority over you.” There is no help for me. He returned home in a very melancholy mood.
He told his mother about the affair, and they held together and cried: “My son, of thirty-six ways of doing a thing going is the only one that is the best. I am afraid there is no safe place for us.” Wang Jin said, “What you say, mother, is true. Your son has also thought of this plan. There is at Yanan Prefecture a General who guards the frontier and controls many military officers, who used to come to the capital to see me fence. Why should we not now fly to him for refuge? At that place I could get employment and settle down to a quiet life.”
Mother and son discussed this matter and after deciding, she said, “My son, I must go with you secretly: but I am afraid of the sentries who are stationed outside the door by the headquarters, and we certainly will not be able to get away if they hear of our plans.” Wang Jin said, “Never mind, don’t worry, mother, I will arrange matters satisfactorily with them.” Before the sun set Wang Jin called the sentry Zhang to come inside. He gave him an order—“After you have had your supper I want you to go to a place to do something for me.” The sentry inquired where he was to go. Wang Jin said, “Because of my sickness I once took a vow to offer sacrifice at the Yue Temple outside the Suanzao Gate—I wish to be there tomorrow morning and be the first person to burn incense—I want you to go this evening and inform the head priest of this matter. Tell him to have the doors open early tomorrow morning and wait until I come to burn the first incense. There I shall present three sacrifical meats to the gods Liu, Li, and Wang. You must stay at the temple till I come.”
Zhang, the sentry replied, “I have already had my supper and will now go to the temple to arrange matters.”
That night the mother and son packed their baggage—making two loads for carrying on a pole. They filled two bags with fodder to be tied on the horse, and waited until nearly dawn. Then Wang Jin awakened Li, the other sentry, and giving him silver told him to go to the temple and buy the three meats for the sacrifices, as he himself would buy some yellow candles and would arrive later. Li, the sentry, took the money and departed. Wang Jin saddled the horse and led it out of the stable, fastening the fodder on with ropes and making all tight, he assisted his mother to mount. The furniture, etc., was abandoned. Locking the door he shouldered his load and followed the horse. It was the fifth watch about 4 A.M. and was still dark—so availing themselves of this, they left by the Xihua Gate—and traveled quickly toward Yanan Prefecture, Shaanxi province.
The two sentries at the temple bought the meats for the sacrifices, cooked them, and then waited until about 11 A.M. without seeing Wang Jin. Sentry Li became anxious and returned to the house to look for Wang Jin. He found that the doors were locked, and he could not enter. After half a day he saw nobody come. Sentry Zhang stayed at the temple until evening and then returned to the house. They both watched the house during the night without seeing Wang Jin or his mother. The following day they inquired of Wang’s relatives but no one could be found. They did not wish to be implicated, and therefore reported the matter to the headquarters.
Marshal Gao Qiu upon hearing the report was very angry and wrote a dispatch instructing the officials in every prefecture and district to arrest Wang Jin. The two sentries were free from all blame.
Wang Jin and his mother traveled a good distance from the capital taking their meals on the way as chance permitted. They had been on the way over a month, when one evening Wang Jin remarked to his mother who was riding the horse in front, “May Heaven have pity on us and we are now beyond the reach of legal punishment, as although Marshal Gao Qiu has ordered my arrest, Yanan Prefecture is not far away.” They both felt contented but they were not aware that they had passed the only available inn. As it grew dusk, however, they saw the glimmer of a light in a forest a good distance away. Wang Jin decided to investigate as to whether they could stay there for the night. He went into the forest, and saw a farmyard which was surrounded by a mud wall, with about three hundred willow trees outside. He knocked at the gate, and when a servant came he saluted with folded hands. He explained the situation, and asked for a night’s lodging for his mother and himself for which they would pay.
The servant went inside to report the matter, and upon his return said the farmer wished to see them. Wang Jin requested his mother to dismount and tied the horse to a tree. He put his load on the threshing floor, and then they followed the servant into the house.
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